The Modern Survivalist

Add a Comment

Comment by KENT GABLE on January 30, 2012 at 11:58am

An interesting historical fact is that Hirojito, Emperor of Japan chose NOT to try and invade mainland America during WW II  because, as he put it: guns were as common among the American people as are the blades of grass. They did invade the tip of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska due to it's scarce population but were eventually beaten out of their stronghold by a combination of American and Eskimo forces.

Comment by James Cole on January 30, 2012 at 12:33am

@Clint, I think you and I could have an interesting discussion about space aliens, but that's for another time.

There are things in this world that are far more dangerous than guns, knives, and baseball bats.  Perhaps one should consider automobiles, gasoline, fuel bombs, or maybe other seemingly benign objects such as that glass salt shaker on the restaurant table, a clothes hanger, a plastic bag, and wow even that Bic pen. 

Every country has their share of bad laws, and guess what, normal people follow the law not because they are afraid of he punishment, but because it is the right thing to do. 

@Jan,  you are right, people who respect weapons don't use them as weapons "except in self defense."

Know this, all politicians believe they know better what is good for us than we do.

Comment by Robert Burris on January 29, 2012 at 5:20pm

A knife is a tool and like any other object it can be used to do things other than what it was made for.

Comment by Jan Carter on January 29, 2012 at 4:47pm

Well I am not going to start collecting baseball bats, so the knives stay with us.  The laws always confuse me, people that respect the "weapons" dont use them as weapons.  I agree with the alien thng Clint. 

Comment by KENT GABLE on January 29, 2012 at 1:21pm

Shlomo- thank you for the kind words.

As I said "I wonder what the latest knife nonsense is up in Canada now?" A legitimate question being that I also stated that it has been years since I've been up in a country that I truly love. What I was wondering is if I am going to be in violation of the law for carrying a 5" or 6" hunting or fillet knife in the bush?

I don't wear a hunting knife in the city here or anywhere else nor would I go "flashing it around". Nor do I own a gravity opening or assist opening knife but it's good to know what is legal and what isn't.

If switchblades are legal in Australia, that's interesting because when I was there in 1990, my Buck 110 folder was not. Yet, in Alaska it was never a problem? At that time, to my knowledge, it was also legal in Canada.

I recently found out that carrying any fixed blade knife in FL is considered a weapon and therefore illegal. Common pocket knives are legal but as I understand, the same Buck 110 folder IS illegal. Yes, our knife laws are inconsistent and vague.

None of this was even an issue when I was a young man. I also did not mean to single out Canada. This goes on and on with every country and city in the world and to what purpose I don't know? As Clint sagely put it, "laws do not stop us from doing wrong" If I were of that mind set, I could do far more damage with an axe or a shotgun than a knife.

Comment by Clint Thompson on January 29, 2012 at 11:53am

Jan....

What I was explaining is....laws do not stop us from doing wrong.  Societies pressure and morality keep us in check....not laws.  Every adult in the USA could possess a fully auto machine gun with society as a whole would not be in any more danger than they are now.  It is the one with evil in their hearts who will do bad things....if they have a machine gun or just a club.

In reference to this conversation started by Kent.  An example of this is, In Canada more homicides are committed with a knife or edged weapon than with firearms.  Why?  Because knives are more available.  If there were no knives available...then it would be blunt force objects like a baseball bat.  Why? Because they are available.  As a species we are aggressive and can become violent.  This is a fact which we have to face up to.  Humans can and do become violent.  With proper inspiration all of us can do violence on our fellow man.  Example: Jan, if a big old hulking bad guy kicks in your front door and attacks your family....my bet is your going to do violent things to this guy till he leaves or is put out of action.

I watched one of those History Channel stories where they talked about aliens coming to earth to take us over to rob us of our resources.  One expert they interviewed said Earth would be the last place aliens would attack as we are too violent and war like.  The aliens would just move on to a planet where there were no intelligent people or people too weak to resist.  This is the way we are and this is the way we will always be.

Comment by Ron James on January 29, 2012 at 11:47am

Here in the state of Arkansas, when I take a trip into the "wilds" or "brush", I take my Kabar, Becker BK9 and BK1 and my tomahawk. How does a 9-9 1/2 in.  blade, and a tomahawk fit into the laws of Canada?

I guess if your out in the brush, their OK, but if your stopped in the city for some reason, and a cop sees them, does he just say "have a nice trip", or do you get the 3rd degree?

Comment by Jan Carter on January 29, 2012 at 9:12am

Clint,

This is the part I find interesting...

To me as a 40  year veteran police officer I can't see the whole knife gun craze.  EVERY person I ever arrested for knife and gun laws were in possession of the gun or knife illegally any way. 

Comment by Clint Thompson on January 29, 2012 at 8:56am

Kent....

Shlomo is right but somewhat harsh, about Canada knife laws.  A check on the Internet revealed this.

"Prohibited Weapon

Article 84 of the Criminal Code of Canada bans the sale and possession of any knife that opens "automatically by gravity or centrifugal force or by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to the handle of the knife." This part of the law has evolved into a test where police attempt to release the blade of a knife out of its handle with only one hand. If the knife's blade slides out, even slightly, the knife is considered to be a "prohibited weapon."

Knives with sheaths, knives that take both hands to open and any knife with a fixed blade are legal in Canada. Knives only become the law's concern in Canada after being used to threaten, injure or kill someone."

I would keep the fixed bladed knife length to 4" to 4 1/2".  Here is how I figure about other countries and states who have laws I can not abide by.  I don't go there.

Depending on the State in the USA, our knife laws vary widely.  To me as a 40  year veteran police officer I can't see the whole knife gun craze.  EVERY person I ever arrested for knife and gun laws were in possession of the gun or knife illegally any way.  With the exception of the auto and gravity knife parts of the Canadian laws, their knife laws are more liberal than ours.

But one must use common sense in choosing what knife to carry.  I would say Arizona is one State which has the least restrictive gun and knife laws.  Their crime rate is no worse than most.

Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on January 29, 2012 at 2:33am

Kent, What nonsense knife laws are you referring to?  Past where?  Covering what?

 

 You can still come up here fishing and wear your fillet knife and nobody is going to hassle you unless you go stupid and start flashing it to everyone but you’d get into the same amount of trouble you did in the USA!  Remember a few years back AO knives were being considered SB/OTF knives by US Customs?  If you wanted you could be walking around downtown Toronto with a Randall Model 1-7 on your hip and nobody will hassle you unless it is concealed…Those open conditions happen in most of the US states as well!

 

 What are illegal up here are about what’s illegal in Great Britain, Australia, lots of Europe OH, an in most of the USA…for example: 

There are no federal laws concerning the lengths of knives allowed.

However there are many informal "blade length rules" in Canada. These vary from 3" to 4" for folding knives in various areas around the country, depending on what differentiates a pocket-knife from a fighting knife to the police.   There are no federal laws about knife materials, as well there are no formal laws on serrations, or dual edged blades.

• automatic knives such as switchblades—surprisingly which are legal in Australia;
• centrifugal knives such as flick knives or butterfly knives;
• gravity knives;
• Constant Companion (belt-buckle knife)
• finger rings with blades or other sharp objects projecting from the surface;
• push daggers;
• spiked wristbands;
• One-handed opening knives have been designated as legal to import by Canada Border Services as long as they don't fall into one of the prohibited categories.
• There is no length restriction on carrying knives within the Criminal Code of Canada; the only restriction is for concealed carry.

You can’t bring any weapon into an establishment that serves alcohol—pub, bar, lounge and by definition—licensed restaurant.

 

Though, nobody is allowed to carry any item with intent that is to be used against another human being in Canada. That's the law. Knife laws don't really exist clear-cut in Canada, because we have strict but yet subjective "weapon" laws…You don’t have a self defense knife with you maybe an EDC or a knife for cutting meat at take out joints.

 

Sorry, to say, me boyo, but your knife laws are far more screwed up then ours.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 7
• Next ›
• Page